


Ablation

by doylesmom



Series: Extragalactic [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Relationship, Slow Burn, and I mean really really really slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-02-29 02:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18769324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doylesmom/pseuds/doylesmom
Summary: A process by where the atmosphere melts away and removes the surface material of an incoming meteorite.---Shouto and Izuku meet, and Shouto learns about life outside the Jedi ways.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a totally self indulgent AU, ngl. 
> 
> Special thanks to my enablers: Art, Emma, Robin, Lie, Anna, Angie, and Jon.
> 
> Currently un-beta-ed.
> 
> Update 05/17/2019: As there are many things referred to in the story that may not be common knowledge, I have added references to the ending notes!

Meditation has always come easy to Shouto. The feeling of becoming one with the force, losing track of anything but himself and the eternal life force of the universe, has always been something he excelled at. He enjoys it too, which is an added bonus. But today something is preventing him from ascending into his favorite state of being. Perhaps he could blame it on the agitated shifting of the youngling next to him, but that has never stopped him before. He sighs and unfolds himself from his position, reaching over to ruffle the hair of the girl next to him.

 

“You’re doing well, Eri,” He says. “Keep up the good work.” She beams at him, and Shouto quickly bites off the bubble of nostalgia that rises in his chest. His sister had looked so much like that when they were younglings. Perhaps that is why Eri was his favorite youngling, but he chastises himself for that thought as well.  _ No favorites, Shouto. _

 

He swiftly exits the room, deciding to attempt to find his master. Perhaps he could shed some light on Shouto’s agitated state. If he wasn’t busy napping, that is.

 

Shouto wanders easily through the passageways of the temple. Despite the constant noise and hustle of the planet, the temple in Coruscant remained peaceful, and often Shouto is the only being in the hallways he traverses. At this time of day, there could only be one of three places his master is hiding- the library, the courtyard in between the north-eastern and south-eastern spires, or the council room. Shouto sincerely hopes he isn’t in the council room. If he is, Shouto would have no choice but to wait for the seemingly endless meeting to end, and that would result in time wasted and questions left unanswered.

 

The library is not empty. Two of his fellow apprentices browse the shelves. He nods in greeting, and they return the gesture. His master, however, is not to be found. 

 

Much to his dismay, the courtyard is empty as well. It is a beautiful place, and the sun is shining, so Shouto decides to attempt to meditate here. One of the few places on the planet with plant life, it reminds him in some ways of Naboo. He’s only been back twice since he became an apprentice- both times on diplomatic missions- but he has vague memories of the flower gardens that litter the city of Theed where he had played before he was brought to the temple. But that was another lifetime, and he pushes aside those thoughts to sink, finally, into the depths of meditation.

 

\---

 

Awareness of his master’s presence brushes over him, and Shouto releases himself from the grips of meditation to look at the man standing next to him. The sun has long since fallen, and a chill has begun to seep into his bones.

 

“Master,” he greets. 

 

“Shouto. Walk with me.” It’s not a request, it never is, but Shouto doesn’t mind. He springs to his feet and brushes some dirt off of his legs as they begin to walk. 

 

“I’ve been called off planet for a mission.” His master says finally. Shouto nods.

 

“When do we leave?” He asks. His master shakes his head.

 

“We don’t. This is a solo mission. You will remain here on Coruscant.”

 

“But Master Aizawa-”

 

“You are needed here, Padawan.” Aizawa says. Shouto quiets immediately. “The force has become cloudy lately. Every day it becomes harder to discern. But I do know that you must stay here. That much has been made obvious to me. For what purpose, I do not know, but we must do as the force guides us, and so you shall remain here.” 

 

\---

 

His master leaves early the next morning, and Shouto sees him off. Shouto bows respectfully and Aizawa nods once, and then he’s gone, his ship off to the outer rim. Shouto doesn’t know what for, but he does his best not to wonder why. If it was really that important, his master would have told him, he is sure. If there was one thing he could count on, it was the honesty of his master. Brutally so at times, but Shouto appreciated it nonetheless. 

 

He spent his morning training with his lightsabers. Two ice blue shotos- he would never hear the end of those jokes- twirled around his form as he practiced the katas for Niman over and over again, until the sun was high in the sky and sweat ran down his brow. He ate a simple lunch, then spent the afternoon assisting the younglings in their meditation practices. As night fell he scarfed down a bowl of something and returned to his barracks to meditate himself. 

 

He pushed a few holo-scrolls off of his bed, making a mental note to return those to the library in the morning and settled on his cot. He placed his sabers across his lap, and fell into the nothingness and everythingness. 

 

\---

 

_ Burning ruins, the acrid scent of death hanging heavy in the air. Screams. Laughter. A gleam as a droid rushes past. A thousand-sun smile. Flowers creeping up an ivory wall. A feeling of warmth. A feeling of pain. His sister’s face. His sabers, smashing into pieces. A saber of red, and a saber of blue. A blizzard, burying him as he cries out for someone, anguish and despair sinking deep into his very soul. His name. Over and over, his name. _

 

_ S h o u t o _

 

\---

 

Shouto’s eyes fly open. Something tugs against his being. The force. It’s guiding him. He doesn’t know the time, but he scrambles out of bed and runs through the maze like corridors of the temple, his steps foreign to him but sure in their purpose and direction. He comes to a stop outside the chambers of the council, and his breath catches in his throat. 

 

He feels it as sure as he feel the beat of his heart in his chest. His destiny awaits him.

 

He pushes open the door.

 

\---

 

The council does not look surprised to see him. Not that anything, Shouto think, surprises the council. Grand Master Yoda makes a humming noise that Shouto cannot decipher. He looks at the gathered group.

 

“I apologize for the interruption,” He says, bowing low before them, “But I was awoken from my meditation by the force, and it guided me here.”

 

“I see,” says Master Windu, looking him over critically. Shouto glances up, and sees the gathered masters all look at each other and seemingly come to an agreement.

 

“Padawan Shouto,” Master Midnight says, calling his attention to her. “I believe we know why you are here. Senator Toshinori of Chandrila has requested a Jedi accompany him on an aid mission to the planet of Belmarvis, on the outer rim. He had requested your master, Aizawa, specifically, as they have a long working history. However, as you are aware, Aizawa is off planet. We were going to assign it to another Jedi, but if you were lead here by the force, it can only mean one thing.” She looks him in the eyes, and Shouto feels something shift in him, in the force. “Padawan Shouto, you will take on this mission in your master’s stead. You leave at sunrise.”

 

\---

 

The ship that he is to board is a light freighter. G series, if Shouto is correct. It’s shiny and looks somehow both incredibly new and incredibly old at the same time. It’s much like Senator Toshinori himself. The man looks as though a stiff wind could knock him over, but he speaks and carries himself in a way that speaks of great power. He’d introduced himself as soon as Shouto had arrived. Friendly, albeit a little awkward, he had shaken Shouto’s hand and explained that he and Aizawa had worked together in the past, and that he looked forward to working with Shouto as well. He was onboard the ship already, running some last minute calculations on their supplies, so Shouto took the time to wander the outside of the ship and run his own checks. 

 

“I promise it’s all secure,” comes a voice from behind him. Shouto turns to see a man standing behind him. He has bright green eyes and a wild mop of hair, and his face is smattered with freckles. The man holds his hand out. “The name’s Izuku. I’m Senator Toshinori’s personal pilot.” Shouto nods his head in acknowledgement. 

 

“Greetings. I am Shouto, Padawan of the Jedi Order. I have come in place of my master, Aizawa, who was unable to take on this mission.” Izuku’s hand is still stretched out between them. Shouto looks down at it, then back at the pilot. Slowly, Izuku pulls it back. They stand in silence, sizing each other up.

 

“Izuku, Shouto, it’s time to go!” The senator calls from the loading ramp. Shouto turns and walks towards the hatch, feeling the eyes of the pilot watching him as he goes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Meditation](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Meditation)   
>  [The Force](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Force)   
>  [Younglings](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Youngling/Legends)   
>  [Masters](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jedi_Master)   
>  [Coruscant](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Coruscant/Legends)   
>  [The Jedi Temple on Coruscant](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jedi_Temple)   
>  [Jedi Library](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jedi_Library)   
>  [Naboo](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Naboo)   
>  [Theed](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Theed)   
>  [Padawan](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Padawan/Legends)   
>  [Outer Rim](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Outer_Rim_Territories/Legends)   
>  [Shotos](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Shoto_lightsaber)   
>  [Niman](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Niman)   
>  [Jedi Council](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jedi_Council/Legends)   
>  [Light frieghter](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Light_freighter)   
>  [Senators](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Senator/Legends)   
>  [Chandrila](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Chandrila/Legends)


	2. Chapter 2

The inside of the ship is much the same as the outside. Brightly lit and gleaming, but the floor is marked with scuffs that couldn’t be buffed away. Shouto is inspecting a flickering bulb when the pilot approaches him again. They’ve been in flight for a few hours now, and he hasn’t seen the rest of the crew, but he assumes they’re around.

 

“We’re going to be entering hyperspace soon,” the pilot says. Shouto nods, and goes back to his inspection. The pilot shifts, seeming as though he wishes to say something. Shouto turns to face him.

 

“Is there anything else I can help you with?” He asks dryly.

 

“Uh, well, it’s just that…” the pilot trails off, scratching the back of his head nervously.  Shouto does his best not to groan aloud. If everyone on this trip was going to be this awkward, he was going to regret listening to the force. Shouto opens his mouth to say something, when a noise sounds from above. With moments to spare, he yanks the pilot out of the way and behind him just as a ceiling panel clatters to the ground, and two beings come falling with it.

 

“Oh, there you are!” The pilot says cheerfully over Shouto’s shoulder.

 

“You know these two?” He asks, disengaging his sabers. The pilot nods and comes around to help the humanoid to her feet.

 

“Yes. Shouto, meet Uraraka, Senator Toshinori’s head of security and my co-pilot,” the pilot gestures to the human female who looks him over with big brown eyes, “and our droid, I1-D4.” The droid carefully rights itself, although its optical lenses seem to have been shattered in the fall. Shouto watches with vague amusement as the droid quickly replaces the shattered lenses with new, undamaged ones it pulls from a compartment in its chest.

 

“Am I to assume this happens often?” He asks the droid. It looks at him and nods as morosely as a droid is able.

 

“Entirely too frequently, I’m afraid.” It says with a disapproving shake of its head. “When you travel with this crew, you quickly learn to keep a spare set of, well, everything with you.”

 

“Hey now,” the woman says, looking vaguely affronted. “It’s not always our fault.”

 

“Yeah!” The pilot chimes in. “Last time that happened it was because of those bounty hunters!”

 

“Which we wouldn’t have had to deal with if Uraraka hadn’t scammed them out of their credits!” The droid cries, choppily waving its hands about.

 

“Actually, it wasn’t the credits they were mad about,” Uraraka says cheekily. “It was the antique jewelry I won off of them.”

 

“That’s not better, Uraraka!” The droid looks increasingly as though it may start, well, droids can’t cry but if they could, Shouto assumes that’s what would be happening.

 

“So what were you doing in the ceiling?” He asks, interrupting the conversation before it escalated any further.

 

“Fixing some faulty wiring.” The woman explains, showing him the wires clutched in her hand. “I1 has a flashlight built into one hand and a welding torch in the other, so he comes in handy when doing repairs.”

 

“I see.” Shouto responds. “So he’s a repair droid?”

 

“Actually, I was originally programmed to be a protocol droid,” the droid explains. “However, I was repurposed several times and now, while I do maintain some aspects of my original functionality, I also serve as a security and repair droid.” He seems slightly put off by this, so Shouto doesn’t push any further.

 

“If I may ask,” he says, turning to the pilot and the woman, who are silently squabbling over something. They leap to attention at his words. “Where are my quarters? I’d like to settle in before we hit hyperspace.”

 

“Deku!” The woman cries. Deku? Shouto could have sworn the pilot’s name was Izuku. “You haven’t even shown him around yet?” She tuts disapprovingly. The pilot squawks.

 

“I was busy doing my job!” He protests. The woman shakes her head and gestures for Shouto to follow her.

 

“This way, Jedi. I’ll show you around.” She walks off, and Shouto is quick to follow her.

 

\---

 

His bunk is nicer than he expected. Perhaps he’s just used to the quarters at the temple, but it feels almost opulent. His bed is the only one in the room, and the fresher down the hall is state of the art. He didn’t bring anything with him besides a spare set of robes, which he quickly sets in a storage compartment in the back corner of the room, under his very own window. It’s cool and quiet, and he takes a moment to watch the universe fly by.

 

There’s a knock at the door, and it slides open with an almost imperceptible hiss. On the other side is the droid, who choppily waves a greeting.

 

“We’re gathering in the mess for a meal if you would like to join us.” He says, and Shouto takes one last look out the window before following behind the droid.

 

The ship, he notices, is somewhat labyrinthine in construction. If the droid wasn’t directing him on where to go, Shouto was sure he would have gotten lost more than once. He mentions this to the droid, who makes an amused whirring noise.

 

“Yes, the ship is specially designed to confuse any would-be raiders or looters or bounty hunters.”  


“Bounty hunters?”

 

“Ah, pay no mind to that. As long as we stay away from Canto Bight we’re sure to have no issues with bounty hunters.” The droid says this with a light air, but Shouto feels a knot of dread begin to form in his stomach. They come to a stop outside of what Shouto assumes is the entrance of the mess, and the droid turns to face him once more. “One more piece of advice, if I may. Don’t gamble with Uraraka.”

 

\---

 

The meal is simple, but filling- baked dru’un in a lightly spiced fish sauce. It’s a commonly served meal at the temple, and Shouto finds his mind drifting home. He wonders if Eri was able to get through meditation today, if Inasa was able to find the scroll he was looking for, how his master’s journey is faring.

 

“So, Shouto.” The woman interrupts his train of thought. Shouto looks at her, feeling somehow both at ease and on edge in her presence. “Tell us about yourself.”

 

“Ah, well,” he thinks for a moment, “I joined the Order when I was four, and became an apprentice at fourteen, which was five years ago. My master is Aizawa. I use two sabers in the style of Jar’Kai. My favorite food is Corellian buckwheat noodles, served cold.”

 

“Ok, that’s nice and all, but I meant more like, what is your family like? What do you do besides train to be a Jedi? You know, stuff like that!” The woman explains.

 

“I don’t remember my family,” Shouto lies. He hates lying, hates liars, but he does not owe these strangers his story. It leaves a foul taste in his mouth nonetheless. “And all I do I do in order to become a worthy Jedi. There really isn’t more than that. Sorry to disappoint.” She deflates a bit, but goes back to her food, and they continue eating their meal in silence. Soon enough though, the pilot and the senator come bustling in, carrying several holodisks between the two of them.

 

“Sorry to interrupt, but we wanted to go over the details of our route with you all.” The pilot explains, opening up a holomap. Everyone focuses in on the task at hand, and Shouto feels a pinch of relief.

 

\---

 

For the first time in a while Shouto is unable to sleep that night. He wonders if it is because this is his first solo mission. He decides to spend some time training, and hopes that he can wear himself down to the point where he will have no choice but to sleep.

 

He gets lost, but eventually he finds his way to the training deck the woman had shown him earlier. To his surprise, he’s not alone. Dressed in loose clothing and working up a sweat of his own is the pilot. He’s unarmed, dodging and striking with incredible power at invisible enemies. He weaves his way around the room, executing what Shouto knows to be complicated moves seemingly effortlessly. And then, as Shouto watches on silently, he stops. He stretches his arms above his head and rolls his back, groaning as his spine pops. And Shouto feels his mouth go dry as the pilot whips his shirt off to wipe at his face, because littered across his now bare body are more scars that Shouto cares to count.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow me on tumblr [here](https://tzubakis.tumblr.com/).
> 
>  
> 
> [Hyperspace](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Hyperspace/Legends)  
> [Droids](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Droid/Legends)  
> [Bounty Hunters](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Bounty_hunter/Legends)  
> [Credits](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Credit)  
> [Freshers](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Refresher/Legends)  
> [Canto Bight](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Canto_Bight)  
> [Baked dru'un](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Baked_dru'un_slices_in_fish_sauce)  
> [Jar'Kai](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jar'Kai/Legends)  
> [Corellian buckwheat noodles](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Corellian_buckwheat_noodles)  
> [Holodiscs](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Holodisc)  
> [Holomap](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Holomap)


	3. Chapter 3

After five days in hyperspace Shouto still has not found a way to bring up what he saw to the pilot. To be fair, he’s not sure there is a tactful way to ask someone about their scars, but the curiosity he feels has swollen in his chest and is gnawing away at his ribcage, desperate for an answer. He tries to rationalize it as wanting to know for safety reasons- between the scars, the general jitteriness of the senator, and the droid’s warning about bounty hunters, Shouto feels as though he has a right to know, if only to better fulfill his duties as extra security. Yet something holds him back, keeps his mouth closed and tongue still whenever he and the pilot interact.

“Ah, Shouto, there you are!” As if summoned by thought, the pilot comes jogging around the corner, smiling brilliantly. Shouto has to look away before he winces. “We’re getting ready to exit hyperspace, so we’re gathering in the cockpit.”

“Ah, thank you for the notice.” Shouto says. They stand there awkwardly for a moment before the pilot clears his throat and turns to walk back the way he came from. Shouto follows behind him, folding his hands into his sleeves the way his master always does. The longer they’re apart the more Shouto notices little habits he’s picked up from his master. 

The two of them make their way into the cockpit, where they’re greeted by the rest of the crew. Shouto takes the open seat between the droid and the senator, and as soon as he’s settled the ship lurches and space settles into place around them. They’ve landed in sector N-14, the Tynanni system, just off of the Corellian Run and approaching Shipwright’s Trace. Their first refueling destination, Tynna, lies due forwards, and the glistening blue-grey-white surface of the planet sends a spark of excitement through Shouto’s veins. He has a special fondness for frigid planets- something about the cold is especially soothing to him.

“Have you ever been to Tynna before?” The droid asks him.

“No, I haven’t.” Shouto responds. “Have you?”

“Many times before, yes. I’ll be staying back on the ship this time, though, as the cold just does not mix well with my wiring.” The droid makes his whirry sigh noise. 

“Yeah, it makes him cranky, too!” The woman jokes from her co-pilot’s chair. 

“I do not get cranky.” The droid huffs, crossing his arms.

“Really? You sure about that? Because remember the last time we stopped on-”

“Oh not this again!” the pilot groans. “Can we please just focus on landing the ship?” 

“Ugh, fine Deku.” The woman pouts but turns back to the task at hand. The cockpit falls silent, and soon enough the ship is descending through the atmosphere of the planet towards a shipyard below.

\---

The Tynnan were an interesting species for sure. The tallest one came up to Shouto’s chest, and it chittered happily away as Shouto followed it towards the marketplace. At least that’s where the droid said she was taking them. The pilot followed silently next to him, shivering beneath his extra coat and scarf.

“How are you not freezing?” He asks Shouto.

“I like the cold,” Is all Shouto says, although he does tuck his arms a little closer to his body.

“I am both impressed and terrified.” The pilot remarks dryly. Shouto makes a non committal humming noise, and their Tynnan guide chitters, her beady eyes glimmering behind her ocular enhancers. Shouto and the pilot duck underneath a frozen, low-hanging tree branch, and silence settles over the group again. 

The air is crisp and fresh and the snow beneath their feet soft as they walk down their path. The scenery is beautiful- painted in splashes of glimmering whites and soft blues. It makes Shouto feel invigorated in a way he can’t explain. It’s this extra burst of something that finally allows him to ask one of the many questions that has been weighing on his mind. 

“So, why do the others call you Deku?” He asks the pilot. The pilot seems shocked by his sudden question. 

“Well,” The pilot explains, “I used to be a pretty well-known a pod racer back on my home planet.” He speaks as though this was lifetimes ago, even though Shouto knows the two of them to be the same age. “Deku was the name of my racer. I guess my name and the name of my racer were similar enough that people just ended up confusing them. Uraraka and I1 know my name is Izuku, but they’re been calling me by that nickname for so long now that it would be weird if they called me anything else.” 

“I see. Would you prefer I call you Deku, then?” Shouto asks, tucking his braid behind his ear. 

“Oh, you can call me whatever you like!” The pilot glances at his hand, then back towards the path. 

“I think I’ll call you Izuku, then.” Shouto decides. The pilot- no, Izuku’s- face is starting to flush red with cold. “Come, let’s hurry to the market, get ourselves warmed up.” He says. The Tynnan chitters again, and they speed up, leaving no more room for conversation. 

—-

The market place is a bright splash of color against the stark landscape. Shouto and Izuku wander from stall to stall, carefully observing all of the wares available. There’s a menagerie of species both behind counters and wandering through the streets, and Shouto’s brain feels as though it’s overloading as he takes in the multitudes. Despite living on Coruscant, the time he spends wandering about the city planet is minimal at best. He had his master normally only ever go to the Senate or to various landing pads, and even then they travel by airspeeder rather than mingle with the crowds. Shouto knows that, relatively speaking, the crowd isn’t that large, but it’s mesmerizing nonetheless. 

He’s looking over a stall packed with various small parts when Izuku suddenly dashes off. Shouto drops what he was holding and runs after him, on sudden high alert. 

“Look, they have suuri!” Izuku gasps, and Shouto skids to a stop, hands lifting off of his sabers. 

“Suuri?” He asks. Izuku points at the stall in front of them. Several Tynnans crowd around buckets of small, crustaceous creatures. One of them picks one up and bites into it raw, and Shouto has to hold back a shudder at the visceral crunch. Izuku pushes his way to the front of the crowd and offers the Tynnan in charge several credits in exchange for a bag of the creatures. 

“These babies are absolutely delicious when boiled!” Izuku explains once he returns. “Stick them in a pot until the meat is tender and juicy and eat them with a side melted butter. Uraraka has a fantastic recipe, so I always try to pick some up when we stop here!”

“That certainly sounds interesting,” Shouto acknowledges, “if not a bit rich.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Izuku says teasingly, his eyes glittering with mischief. “It’s probably too much for someone who’s lived off of veg-meat his whole life.”

“Hey now,” Shouto protests, lightness in his voice despite the fact that his face stays neutral as ever, “It wasn’t always veg-meat. Sometimes, when we were good, they’d treat us to gruel.” Izuku laughs at this, face tipped back, hair bouncing as he shakes with mirth in the sunlight. 

“So you’re a joker now, huh?” He playfully elbows Shouto. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Shouto sniffs. He’s about to say something else when a twinge runs through him. The force. He whips his head to the side just in time to hear a faint boom. Smoke begins wafting over the horizon, and the market falls silent for a moment before breaking out into hushed whispers. He and Izuku lock eyes. 

They run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Sectors](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sector/Legends)   
>  [Tynnani system](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tynnani_system)   
>  [Corellian Run](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Corellian_Run/Legends)   
>  [Shipwrights' Trace](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Shipwrights'_Trace)   
>  [Tynna](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tynna/Legends)   
>  [Tynnans](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tynnan/Legends)   
>  [Pod racing](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Podracing/Legends)   
>  [Galactic Senate](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Galactic_Senate/Legends)   
>  [Airspeeders](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Airspeeder/Legends)   
>  [Suuri](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Suuri)   
>  [Veg-meat](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Veg-meat)   
>  [Gruel](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Gruel)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't be able to update until the 6th due to anime convention nonsense. Enjoy!

Shouto and Izuku arrive back at the port, and the air is too quiet, too still for comfort. Izuku looks ready to barge right on through to where they left the ship and the crew, but Shouto grabs his arm and yanks him behind a stack of shipping containers.

 

“Don’t be stupid,” he hisses at Izuku. “Take stock of the situation first, before you get us and everyone else killed.” Izuku looks chastised, so Shouto motions for him to follow. Slowly, carefully, they creep from hiding place to hiding place until the One For All comes into view.

 

Shouto must admit, it’s a disheartening sight.

 

The droid appears to have been powered off, and the woman and the senator are tied up together, gags in their mouths. The woman kicks out occasionally at passing beings, but they laugh and side step her. A crew of what appears to be five come in and out of the ship carrying the supply boxes with them. With two more on the ground, that makes a group of at least seven total. Shouto turns to begin planning his attack with Izuku, only to find that the man has disappeared. He looks around frantically, and curses below his breath when he sees the impulsive man ten feet to his left behind a pile of supply boxes, looking as if he’s about to launch himself at the nearest raider. 

 

Shouto acts first.

 

“Pardon me, but may I ask why you are raiding my ship?” He’s out from his hiding spot before he can even process that he’s moved. All the heads in the vicinity whip around to face him.

 

“What’s a Jedi doing here?” One being- a Shistavanen- growls.

 

“Not just a Jedi, a Zabrak!” The Trandoshan next to him hisses. Shouto rolls his eyes, mentally apologizing to his master for what he is about to do.

 

“I’m half Dathomirian, you intolerable moof-milkers.” Shouto spits, and as the two beings open their mouths to react, Shouto flicks his fingers. Two suuri come flying out of the bag where they had been abandoned and smack the raiders in the face. The Trandoshan manages to swat it off, but the Shistavanen isn’t so lucky. The angered suuri digs its claws into his snout, and he yelps. He tries to yank it off, but stumbles backwards into the woman, who rips free of her restraints and tackles him to the ground. Shouto almost begins to wonder when she managed to loosen them, but is distracted when the Trandoshan charges him.

 

Shouto pulls out his lightsabers. The Trandoshan roars and swings his unsheathed claws at Shouto’s face. Shouto ducks and falls onto his back, kicking out his legs at the Trandoshan and sweeping it off of its feet. It falls with a roar, and with a twist of his wrist Shouto knocks it unconscious with the force. 

 

Shouto looks around and finds that the woman has defeated her own opponent, and he lies unconscious on the ground as well. Izuku is untying the senator, and the woman is updating the reactivated droid on the situation at hand. The rest of the raiding crew has yet to reemerge from the ship. Shouto motions for the group to follow him, and luckily they do.

 

As soon as they’re settled behind a wall, Shouto reaches over and smacks Izuku on the arm. The pilot yelps in surprise. 

 

“What did I tell you about being stupid?” Shouto hisses over the giggles and amused noises of the rest of the crew. “We could have used tact and diplomacy to negotiate our way out of that situation, but no, you had to try and act on your own!”

 

“To be fair,” the woman pipes up, “I don’t think that would work with this crew.”

 

“You know them?” Shouto asks, back to the task at hand. 

 

“Yeah. The sigil on their vests is from a group of pirates called the League of Villains.” At Shouto’s disbelieving look she nods. “I know, stupid name, right? They mostly keep to the Western Reaches, though, so what they’re doing out this way is anyone’s guess.” Shouto nods and thinks for a moment. 

 

“Ok. I have a plan.”

 

—-

 

Izuku and Shouto make their way silently towards the back of the ship, weapons at the ready. 

 

“So, you’re uh, half Dathomirian, huh?” Izuku says and Shouto shoots his a glare. He smiles sheepishly, and they turn into another hallway, checking for pirates. All clear. 

 

“Yes, my father is Dathomirian and my mother is human.” Shouto finally says, and Izuku looks both shocked and pleased that he answered. 

 

“So the mark over your eye?” Izuku asks hesitantly. Shouto sighs and turns to face Izuku fully. 

 

“A traditional tattoo. Any more invasive questions?” Ok, perhaps he’s being a bit short, but he’s stressed so it’s probably fine. 

 

“Actually, yeah, do you have horns?” Izuku asks. Shouto finds himself amused by the man’s boldness, so he lifts his bangs to reveal one, small horn hidden just above his tattoo. Izuku nods, seemingly content with the answer. 

 

Footsteps sound from the right. Shouto and Izuku make eye contact and nod. Two more pirates round the corner, and before they can react Shouto twists the force and they collapse into an unconscious heap. Izuku quickly cuffs and de-arms them, and Shouto activates his comlink. 

 

“Team Red, this is Team Blue. We’ve apprehended 2 unwanteds. How goes it on your end?”

 

“Team Blue, this is Team Red,” the woman’s voice crackles through, “We’ve just finished with two of our own here. Any knowledge on the whereabouts of Ugly number 5?”

 

“Not yet, but we’ll keep you posted.” Satisfied that the pirates were properly secure, Shouto jerks his head, and he and Izuku continue their trek through the ship. 

 

—-

 

The final pirate is nowhere to be found, at least for Shouto and Izuku. The comlink is quiet, which means the other duo hasn’t found him either. 

 

“Maybe you miscounted?” Izuku offers. Shouto shakes his head. 

 

“No, I’m sure there were five.” He stops, turning to face Izuku. “Did we leave the senator with a comlink?” 

 

—-

 

In true idiot bad guy style, the last pirate is monologuing to the re-tied up senator. Izuku shifts anxiously. Shouto peeks his head out of the loading hatch. The pirate is bragging about the profit he’s going to make, completely not paying attention to his surroundings. Perfect. 

 

In a flash, Shouto lunges out, motioning to knock the pirate unconscious. He doesn’t, however, take his footing into consideration. His boot catches on a raised hinge, and down he falls, landing face first onto the tarmac below. 

 

_ Ah _ , he thinks under the pain,  _ so this is how I die. Aizawa is going to be pissed. _

 

Before the pirate can shoot him though, the woman comes dashing through the door. She leaps over Shouto’s prone body. In a gravity defying feat she flips out her legs mid air and comes down on the pirate’s head with a ferocious kick. He crumples like a leaf, and the woman lands delicately on her feet. 

 

“You good there, Jedi?” She asks teasingly. He gives her a shaky thumbs up. 

 

“Yeah. I’m good.”

 

—-

 

Shouto watches as the senator and Izuku hand the beaten pirates over to the Tynnan, who are luckily very understanding about the situation at hand. According to the droid, they’ve offered them overnight lodging while they repair the One For All. The senator graciously accepts, and soon they’re being ushered towards a set of huts, just past the market. Shouto promises to meet up with the group later. He has a mission to complete, first. 

 

—-

 

When he arrives an hour later with a fresh batch of suuri for Izuku and new set of brass knuckles for Uraraka, he’s greeted joyously and with open arms.  _ Perhaps _ , he thinks,  _ this crew isn’t all bad.  _

 

He immediately strikes that statement when Uraraka names her new toys Tact and Diplomacy. 

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [tumblr](https://tzubakis.tumblr.com/)


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